IED Clearance Good Practice Guide

1.4.GENERAL PRINCIPLES During the development of NMAS, SOPs, training packages, clearance plans, and render safe plans, the following eight IEDD principles should be observed to ensure compliance with IMAS 09.31 for Improvised Explosive Device Disposal. IMAS 09.31 – PRINCIPLE 1. MANUAL NEUTRALISATION TECHNIQUES Manual neutralisation techniques should not be conducted. Remote (if available) and semi-remote actions should be conducted to neutralise and / or dispose of IEDs.

Any interactions conducted during an IEDD task which physically change the state of a device, provide an opportunity for it to function. If the IEDD operator does this when they are in close proximity to the device, then this is viewed as a manual action.

ׁ REMEMBER. A manual action should not be confused with a manual approach which simply means the IEDD operator has moved from the CP towards a confirmed or suspected IED.

Examples of manual actions that should not be conducted:

• Moving by hand any IED component from the original location in which it was found.

• Cutting wires or detonating cord by hand.

Examples of actions that are not viewed as manual actions but should be conducted with extreme care:

• Manually slicing or peeling back adhesive tape.

• Conducting a fingertip search in the immediate vicinity of a device.

ׁ WARNING. If possible, always introduce at least one element of safety before slicing or peeling back adhesive tape to enable the removal of a detonator from the explosive chain or separating detonating cord links to reduce the potential net explosive quantity (NEQ).

IEDD in mine action – overview

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